Chapter Nine: Meeting the Boys

MADELINE

So I realized how ridiculous, and sappy, and pathetic this is going to sound but literally the love of my life walked into the tent.

Yeah, yeah, yeah I know how absolutely lame that sounds but I mean it's true. I have never met him but I just knew, this is the love of my life.

First off, all the physical symptoms. He walks in, hits my line of sight and all these things happen, all at once. My stomach drops….clear out of me, boom, like I just fell backwards into a pool or something. My mouth goes absolutely dry and I feel like my tongue has swollen up twice its size. I am suddenly painfully aware of how I look, in my raggedy old way too big of me torn up jeans, and my old white and red t-shirt that probably looks kind baggy now from wearing it in the car for so long. I don't have any make up on and I am pretty sure my hair looks kinda greasy and here he is.

And oh my god, there he was. He was wearing these tight dark wash jeans and really cool converse sneakers, that were huge by the way. He was wearing this long sleeve t-shirt that was bright red with a rampant lion on the left shoulder that literally kept looking around. The lion on his shirt kept looking around. Seriously. So anyway, then there was him, he had jet black hair that had been oiled into this really bad ass pompadour, these big green eyes, this amazing bone structure and tall…. oh my god. And built!

And here he was standing smiling at my best friend Molly.

MOLLY

Well, when my cousin James walks in with my other cousins Fred and Louis, it would appear Maddy had a stroke. She got all quiet and open mouthed and goggly eyed. Just staring at him like he is the sun rising. I stifle a chuckle. James has always had this effect on girls.

"CUZ!" He bellowed as he walked in.

I laughed because I can't help it, "Hi boys!" I say jumping up, noticing Maddy jump up right on my heels.

"We thought you would never make it." Fred teased, leaping lover the back of the settee only to slouch on it.

"We've been lurking around the village bored out of our minds." Louis said smiling under his lashes, darting glances at Maddy the whole time.

Interesting thing is though, Maddy didn't even look at Louis, she just kept trying to inconspicuously stare at James. Which she was failing at. Very unusual when it came to the Uncle Bill and Aunt Fleur's kids, they usually commanded the room.

"Down boys," I tease them, "Ok, if we could behave for five seconds, I know impossible when it comes to you lot but, let me introduce one of my best friends, Madeline Clyde-Jones." I turn to my doe-eyed friend, "Maddie, these are the brutes that I call my cousins. Louis," Louis steps forward, all floppy blonde hair and dazzling blue eyes.

"Enchanté," He says raising an eyebrow, taking Maddy's hand and kissing the back of it.

Maddy tore her eyes away from James to look at Louis and instantly she was back to being my Maddy. She scoffed and smiled a crooked smile, "Yeah, thanks." She shook her head amused but not at all taken in. I mean yeah, he may only be a quarter Veela, but I have literally seen girls push each other down to have Louis look at them and here is Maddy, my muggle best friend looking at him like he is the lamest thing going.

I shake my head, and turn to Fred, "This is Fred," He smiles at her over the back of the settee and waves.

"Hi, heard a lot about you. Glad to know you are in fact real. We were all a bit concerned, our dear Molly wandering around some muggle school, muttering to her imaginary friends." I walked over and punch him in the shoulder.

"Thanks Fred," I say rolling my eyes.

Maddy bursts out laughing, "Nice to meets you,".

Then I turn to James. And he is looking at Maddy. Not in an obvious way, like out of the corner of his eye. She was still looking at Fred and didn't notice but I did and I couldn't help but chuckle. "And this is my cousin-"

"JAMES!" We all turn and see Miriam standing in the doorway of her bedroom.

MIRIAM

James stood up from leaning again the hall stand that was beside our tent flap. (Yup there was a hall stand by our tent flap), eyes wide and eyebrows raised.

I mean there he was my cousin standing in Molly's magic tent looking at me like I was the one who was out of place.

His brow furrowed, "Miriam!?" Molly and Maddy's heads kept swinging between us two.

I looked at Madeline who spoke first, "You know him? You know him?!"

"Wait, wait, wait," Molly put her hands up, talking over Maddy, "Is he…..is our James your cousin!?"

"Uh…yeah! He isn't your cousin too?" I squeal painfully aware of how screechy my voice sounds in front of two guys who are both stunningly attractive and I have never met before.

"Bahahahaah!" James burst out laughing, "Are you kidding? My muggle cousin is best friends with my squib cousin? And we never figured that out, did we? What did you guys talk about at school? How could you not know?"

I glare James, just like always he sounds so domineering. Molly glared too, "Ya know talking about you isn't always my main priority at school."

Maddy walked over the tent and sat on the back of the settee, "Don't know why," She muttered under her breath. Molly and I both shot glances at her, she shrugged, "What?" She looked all innocent, and shot a quick smile at James. Who actually sent her a half crooked smile back at her, and his eyes went all dark and smolder-y.

"Ugh," I groan, shaking my head.

"Uh, not to but in but just curious…." The boy on the settee said as he stood up and looked at Molly, who looked at him with a vacant gaze. "Introductions….." He said waving a hand expectantly between him and I. I swallow finding my mouth suddenly very dry.

"Oh right," Molly shakes her head, "Sorry! Miriam, this is Fred, my….our" She says glaring at James who is still snickering. "Cousin. Fred this is Miriam."

He shuffles around the settee a little awkwardly. He is a big lad. The shortest of all three but still about six inches taller than me. Very broad shouldered… broad chested… He was obviously biracial with lovely caramel skin and big hazel eyes. His hair was a deep very dark auburn cut into a very precise looking fade.

"Hi," He said smiling, and I can't help but think he has the most perfect, amazingly white teeth. I mean these are the teeth of American movie stars. I shake his hand, seemingly unable to look away from his smile when I realize I am staring and have just enough sense to look away.

"Hello,"

And even though it feels like minutes have ticked by Molly continues as if it was merely seconds, "And this is Louis, Louis this is my bestie, Miriam." And that was when she introduced me to the most good looking person I have ever seen in my life.

Like .God. Painful to look at good looking. This amazing, prince charming full head of blonde hair, staggeringly dark blue eyes, chiseled features, thin and sinewy figure, that looked amazing in linen pants and a navy shirt. I mean I swear he was like...glowing or something!

"Nice to see you," He says in this amazing throaty way, almost as if he has a touch of a French accent.

"Mmmnnggrrmf." Did that literally just come out of my mouth? Oh my god, let the tent floor open up and swallow me.

Molly looks at me and shakes her head like she understands, Maddy gives me this look of derision, Louis chuckled and Fred simply shakes his head.

"Yup, sounds about right." He muttered under his breath

I turn to him blushing, "What?"

He shakes his head, and smiles at me politely, "Nothing," James lets out his annoying bark of a laugh and I feel strongly like I am missing out on some family joke. "Come on, Gran said Charlie and Ted would be arriving soon."

With that we headed out to meet the rest of the family.